Food Samples

Guidelines for Food Samples

Food samples should have a long shelf life (>6 months preferably) and should not be expired, or expire before the end of 2011.
- Longer shelf life ensures that the food has not expired, and expiry can pose a problem since there are some bacteria which produce monosodium glutamate as a metabolism byproduct (which is what they exploit in making MSG)
- To ensure that food does not expire too soon, do not buy it until the procedure is drafted out and experimentation is about to begin, unless you are certain that the food will be safe.
Food samples should be kept sealed and packaging must be intact.
- This ensures that the food is not contaminated.
Food samples should preferably specified the MSG content (e.g. "No MSG" or, in the case of MSG packets, the mass of the contents).
- To help verify our procedure.
Food samples should be small.
- Avoid wastage of leftovers (see below point)
Leftover food samples from experimentaion SHOULD NOT BE EATEN.
- No responsibility will be taken by the rest of the group if one of the group members consumes leftover food samples and falls ill. You have been warned.
- Leftover food samples, unless still required for experimentation, should be disposed of.

Food samples should be kept in a place that will not affect the quality of the food.
Food samples should not be put together with other food as the sample might get eaten.
- Identification of food samples will ensure that food samples will not be eaten by mistake.

Food samples should be labeled clearly as NOT FOR CONSUMPTION.
- Food samples can be placed together in an airtight bag (ensure that this will not affect any food samples, since for example placing bananas and other fruits together will cause the other fruits to ripen quickly and rot), then the bag can be labeled as containing food samples and should not be eaten.
Food samples should be kept separate from other food (see also storage) so as to aid identification of food samples.

Instant noodles (most have labels stating "No MSG", other packets without those labels contain MSG in the seasoning; both types are suitable)
Soy sauce (naturally contains MSG, available widely but only small amounts are needed)
MSG packets (almost pure MSG)
Seasoned salt or other seasonings (probably will contain MSG)
Stock cubes (most have MSG)

Tinned soup (may contain MSG, but quantity too large)
Flavoured biscuits (some salty ones might have MSG, but biscuits go soggy and bad easily if not kept properly; most biscuits come in quantities too large)